NCP Majeed Memon criticises Army Chief General Bipin Rawat over his statements

NCP Majeed Memon criticises Army Chief General Bipin Rawat over his statements

New Delhi, Jan 16: Criticising the Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, NCP Majeed Memon on Tuesday said, “it is the duty of ministry’s spokesperson to address media if anything is to be conveyed, not the Army chief.” He added, “he (Bipin Rawat) should refrain from making any controversial statement, it will go against the interest of the country.”

On January 12th General Bipin Rawat said that Indian army is well prepared to deal with any emerging threat from the Chinese side.

Rawat also averred that the government too is dealing with the situation on the diplomatic front.

“It is not because we saw a threat. Chinese troops were very well equipped. So we felt why not send better quality equipment for our own jawans – better jackets and helmets. It shows that we are better prepared: Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on stylised bulletproof helmets,” Rawat said at a press conference here.

“We are capable and also have mechanisms. Troops are earmarked, and should a situation arise, our troops are ready to cater,” he added.

In case of a threat at the military level, Rawat further said, “We need to have capacities to ensure that ammunition can move from one sector to another and we are focusing on it. We also need to build capacity to move forces from western sector to northern sectors.”

On the question of whether China was supporting terrorists, Rawat said, “They are not supporting terrorist directly. We have not seen direct support coming.”

A few days before this on January 8 the Army Chief said to media “There has been a very major reduction (of troops) from the Chinese side,” he told the media.

It is the duty of ministry's spokesperson to address media if anything is to be conveyed, not the Army chief. He (Bipin Rawat) should refrain from making any controversial statement, it will go against the interest of the country: Majeed Memon, NCP pic.twitter.com/1JvbGkmxuO

“It has been sorted out and we have had our border personnel meeting after that,” he said when asked about the Arunachal Pradesh intrusion.

Earlier in the day while addressing a seminar on the Army technology, Rawat said that the Army “would like to” move away from imports in defence technology and “fight the next war” with homemade solutions.

“We would like to gradually move away from imports (in defence technology), because, for a nation like ours, the time has come to ensure that we fight the next war with homemade solutions,” he said.

He also called for modernisation of the armed forces, adding the time has come to look take cues from the ‘Arthashastra’ and ‘Chanakya Niti’.

“There is a huge requirement of modernisation of our armed forces, in every field. The future wars will be fought in difficult terrains and circumstances and we have to be prepared for them,” the army chief said.